Weather strip

ABSTRACT

A weather strip includes a flexible strip main body, and a core embedded in the strip main body. The core includes a core main body having an engaged portion and an engaging leg member to be inserted into and engaged with a mounting hole on a mounting object. The engaging leg member has a first engaging portion for engaging the mounting hole and a second engaging portion for engaging the engaged portion of the core. At least the first engaging portion is not covered by the strip main body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT

The present invention relates to an improvement of a weather strip forsealing between an opening border of various types of openings formed inthe body of an automobile, and a door which closes the openings so as tobe able to open in the closed state.

There is a weather strip wherein an insert panel (core material) isburied (Refer to Patent Document 1: Journal of Technical Disclosure No.2004-505195 published by the Japan Institute of Invention andInnovation). This kind of weather strip integrally includes an axis-likeclip in the insert panel, and by inserting and engaging the clip with amounting hole of a door inner panel, the weather strip can be assembledto a door frame. However, in the case wherein the body of the automobilehas complicated three-dimensional curved surfaces, the door frame alsohas complicated three-dimensional curved surfaces. Accordingly, theabove-mentioned insert panel is required to have the same kind of shape.However, when the insert panel is molded in this kind of shape whilemolding an engaging portion in the clip, an undercut shape tends to beproduced, so that a special consideration was required for a die design,and also the die was complicated. Also, due to the above-mentionedreasons, the molding die of the insert panel had limited possibilitiesfor the die design, so that it was difficult to provide an innovativeshape for the insert panel in order to enhance the rigidity.

A main object of the present invention is to provide a weather stripmolded with a core material including engaging leg members inserted andengaged with a mounting hole formed in a mounting object as an insert,wherein the core material is molded according to the three-dimensionalcurved surfaces of the mounting object.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the object of the present invention, in thisinvention, a weather strip includes the following structures (1)-(3).

(1) A weather strip includes a synthetic resin core material provided asan insert.

(2) The core material is provided with an engaging leg member which isinserted and engaged with a mounting hole in a mounting object with atip-end side engaging portion. At least the tip-end side engagingportion of the engaging leg member is made not to be covered by a stripmain body made from rubber or plastic with a rubber elasticity; and

(3) The engaging leg member is provided in the core material by engaginga base-side engaging portion formed in the engaging leg member with anengaged portion formed in a core material main body.

Since the tip-end side engaging portion of the engaging leg member ofthe core material is not covered by the strip main body, the weatherstrip can be assembled by inserting and engaging the tip-end sideengaging portion of the engaging leg member which corresponds to themounting hole of the mounting object. In the case wherein the body of anautomobile has complicated three-dimensional curved surfaces, the corematerial is also required to have the same shape. However, since thecore material is made by combining the core material main body and theengaging leg member which are molded and prepared as separate members,compared with the case wherein both the core material main body and theengaging leg member are integrally molded, it is less prone to producean undercut shape and the like, so that the core material and theweather strip can be easily molded according to the three-dimensionalcurved surfaces without complicating the die structure. Also, theconfiguration of the core material can be reconstructed by changingmaterials between the core material main body and the engaging legmember if necessary.

The engaged portion of the core material main body may be formed at aterminal end portion of a penetration groove (e.g., elongated hole),said penetration groove extending from an introduction-through hole.

In this case, by introducing the base-side engaging portion of theengaging leg member to the penetration groove by using theintroduction-through hole and completely moving the base-side engagingportion to the terminal end portion by being guided by the penetrationgroove, the base-side engaging portion can be engaged with the engagedportion and, then, the engaging leg member can be assembled to the corematerial main body.

The base-side engaging portion of the engaging leg member includes ahead portion and a neck portion. The engaged portion of the corematerial main body is formed at the terminal end portion of thepenetration groove in such a way as to form a grappling face of the headportion of the engaging leg member at a side of one face of the corematerial main body. Also, the engaged portion of the core material mainbody includes a deepest portion which houses the neck portion; and anarrow portion which allows the neck portion to be introduced to thedeepest portion by an elastic deformation. Additionally, the headportion of the base-side engaging portion includes a pair of linearmarginal portions, and a pitch between the pair of liner marginalportions may be roughly equal to a width of the penetration groove.

In this case, the base-side engaging portion of the engaging leg memberwhich is inserted into the introduction-through hole can be insertedinto the penetration groove only in a direction wherein the linearmarginal portions of the head portion are slid and contacted to thegroove wall of the penetration groove. Next, the narrow portion iselastically pushed and widened by the neck portion in a process that thebase-side engaging portion which was inserted into the penetrationgroove as mentioned above is completely moved to the other end portionof the penetration groove, and herewith, the elasticity is returned whenthe neck portion is allowed to proceed into the deepest portion, so thatthe base-side engaging portion of the engaging leg member can bereliably assembled to the engaged portion of the core material main bodyin a mounting direction by a one touch.

According to the invention, the core material comprises the engaging legmember and the core material main body, and the engaging leg memberincludes the tip-end side engaging portion and the base-side engagingportion to be inserted and engaged with the mounting hole of themounting object. The core material is configured by engaging thebase-side engaging portion with the engaged portion of the core materialmain body. As a result, the core material main body can be molded freelyaccording to the three-dimensional curved surfaces of the mountingobject. Also, the strip main body is molded not to cover the tip-endside engaging portion, and the weather strip can be easily assembled tothe mounting object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a weather strip W in use;

FIG. 2 is a front structural view showing a surface of a core materialmain body;

FIG. 3 is a rear surface structural view thereof;

FIG. 4 is an end face structural view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a process wherein engaging legmembers are assembled to the core material main body;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view in a state wherein the engaging leg membersare assembled to the core material main body;

FIG. 7 is a front surface structural view of a core material;

FIG. 8 is a back surface structural view of the core material;

FIG. 9 is a partially broken front view of the engaging leg members;

FIG. 10 is a plan view thereof; and

FIG. 11 is a left side view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention areexplained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11.

Incidentally, FIG. 1 shows a state of a weather strip W assembled to amounting object P by showing a strip main body 2 as an imaginary lineand a core material main body 10 as a section. Also, FIGS. 2-4respectively show the core material main body 10, and FIG. 3 shows thecore material main body 10 viewed from the other face side opposite toFIG. 2. FIGS. 5, 6 show the core material main body 10 as a section at aportion wherein engaged portions 100 are formed so that the processwherein engaging leg members 11 are assembled to the engaged portions100 of the core material main body 10 can be easily understood. FIG. 5shows a state wherein base-side engaging portions 110 of the engagingleg members 11 is started to be inserted into penetration grooves 102configuring the engaged portions 100. FIG. 6 shows a state wherein thebase-side engaging portions 110 of the engaging leg members 11 iscompletely inserted into the penetration grooves 102. Also, FIGS. 7, 8show a core material 1 respectively, and FIGS. 9 to 11 show the engagingleg members 11 respectively. Incidentally, in FIGS. 2, 3, 7, 8,penetration holes 10 h and small projections 10 i which are formed inthe core material main body 10 are not entirely shown, and only a partof those are shown and the rest are omitted.

The weather strip W according to the embodiment is typically used forsealing between an opening border of various types of openings formed inthe body of an automobile, and a door or a lid which blocks the openingsso as to be able to open in the blocked state.

More specifically, when the weather strip W is used for sealing, forexample, between the door opening of the body and the door, a lip 2 a isassembled in such a way as to protrude outside from the border portionof a door frame relative to a panel Pa at a vehicle interior sidecomprising the door frame. When the door is closed, the lip 2 a ispressed against the opening border of the door opening in a statewherein the lip 2 a is elastically deformed, and the weather strip W isused for the above-mentioned sealing.

The weather strip W comprises a synthetic resin core material 1 as aninsert. More specifically, the weather strip W is configured byintegrally uniting the core material 1 and the strip main body 2 bycovering a necessary area on the outside of the core material 1 with thestrip main body 2 comprising plastic with rubber or rubber elasticity byinsert molding. In this insert molding, the strip main body 2 is moldedin such a way as to include a desired outer shape, and the lip 2 a isconfigured by the strip main body 2. The core material 1 is harder thanthe strip main body 2, and by injection molding following the insertmolding, the desired outer shape can be molded and prepared.

In an example shown in the figures, the core material 1 is molded insuch a way that a part is curved in order to have a shape according tothe corner of the door frame. In the example shown in the figures, thecore material 1 is configured by the core material main body 10 having aplate shape with length and width as a main material. One side face 10 aof the core material main body 10 becomes a face on the mounting siderelative to the panel Pa. Both faces 10 a, 10 b of the core materialmain body 10 include an outer border 10 c located outside a curve and aninner border 10 d located inside the curve. A pitch between both borders10 c and 10 d is comparatively and roughly even and large between oneend 10 e side of the core material main body 10 and a curved portion 10f. Subsequently, as the core material main body 10 goes toward the otherend 10 g side from the curved portion 10 f, the core material main body10 decreases gradually, and in the other end 10 g of the core materialmain body 10, both borders 10 c and 10 d come close and the other endhas a thin stick shape.

Also, in the example shown in the figures, in the core material mainbody 10, a plurality of penetration holes 10 h (shown in a circle with alarge diameter in FIGS. 2, 3, 7, 8) is formed, and a plurality of smallprojections 10 i (shown in a circle with a small diameter in FIGS. 2, 3,7, 8) is projected from both faces, respectively. Accordingly, unitybetween the core material main body 10 and the strip main body 2 can beimproved.

Also, in the core material 1, the engaging leg members 11 are provided,inserted into a mounting hole Pb formed in the panel Pa which becomes amounting object P, and engaged with the mounting hole Pb by tip-end sideengaging portions 112. Also, the engaging leg members 11 are provided inthe core material 1 by engaging the base-side engaging portions 110formed in the engaging leg members 11 with the engaged portions 100formed in the core material main body 10. At least the tip-end sideengaging portions 112 of the engaging leg members 11 are not covered bythe strip main body 2.

More specifically, in the embodiment, the core material 1 is configuredby combining the core material main body 10 and the engaging leg members11, and also the strip main body 2 is molded with the core material 1 asthe insert in such a way as not to cover the tip-end side engagingportions 112 of the engaging leg members 11. (FIG. 1)

Since the tip-end side engaging portions 112 of the engaging leg members11 of the core material 1 are not covered by the strip main body 2, theweather strip W can be assembled by inserting and engaging the tip-endside engaging portions 112 of the engaging leg members 11 with themounting hole Pb of the panel Pa. In the case that the body of theautomobile has complicated three-dimensional curved surfaces, the panelPa also has the above-mentioned three-dimensional curved surfaces, sothat the core material 1 is also required to have the shape according tothe three-dimensional curved surfaces. However, since the core materialmain body 10 and the engaging leg members 11 are molded and prepared asseparate members, combined together, and make the core material 1,compared to the case that both core material main body 10 and theengaging leg members 11 are integrally molded, it is difficult toproduce an undercut shape and the like, so that the core material 1 andthe weather strip W can be easily molded according to thethree-dimensional curved surfaces without complicating die structure.Also, the core material 1 can be configured by changing materials of thecore material main body 10 and the engaging leg members 11 according toneeds. For example, if the core material main body 10 is made fromfiber-reinforced plastic, rigidity of the overall core material 1 can beimproved without decreasing the elasticity of the engaging leg members11.

In the example shown in the figures, the engaged portions 100 of thecore material main body 10 are formed in terminal end portions 102 b ofthe penetration grooves 102 wherein groove-beginning ends 102 a arecommunicated with introduction-through holes 101.

In the example shown in the figures, the engaged portions 100 and theintroduction-through holes 101 are provided at two portions and spacedin a length direction of the core material main body 10 between one end10 e and the curved portion 10 f of the core material main body 10. Theintroduction-through holes 101 have a circular shape. The penetrationgrooves 102 allow the groove-beginning ends 102 a to communicate withthe introduction-through holes 101 and extend along the length directionof the core material main body 10. In the example shown in the figures,the penetration groove 102 wherein one of the two engaged portions 100is formed is located on the side of one end 10 e of the core materialmain body 10. This penetration groove 102 communicates with theintroduction-through hole 101 which is located on the side of the curvedportion 10 f rather than the penetration groove 102, and extends to theside of one end 10 e of the core material main body 10. Also, thepenetration groove 102 wherein the other of two engaged portions 100 isformed is located on the side of the curved portion 10 f of the corematerial main body 10. The penetration groove 102 communicates with theintroduction-through hole 101 which is located on the side of one end 10e of the core material main body 10 rather than the penetration groove102, and extends to the side of the curved portion 10 f of the corematerial main body 10.

Herewith, in the example shown in the figures, by using theabove-mentioned introduction-through holes 101, the base-side engagingportions 110 of the engaging leg members 11 are introduced to thepenetration grooves 102, and the base-side engaging portions 110 arecompletely moved to the terminal end portions 102 b by being guided bythe penetration grooves 102. As a result, the base-side engagingportions 110 can be engaged with the engaged portions 100, and theengaging leg members 11 can be assembled to the core material main body10.

In the example shown in the figures, the base-side engaging portions 110of the engaging leg members 11 include head portions 110 a and neckportions 110 e.

Also, the engaged portions 100 of the core material main body 10 areformed in the terminal end portions 102 b of the penetration grooves 102in such a way as to form grappling faces 100 a of the head portions 110a of the engaging leg members 11 at the side of one face (side of theother face 10 b opposite to the mounting side on the panel Pa in theexample shown in the figures) of the core material main body 10. Also,the engaged portions 100 of the core material main body 10 includedeepest portions 100 b housing the neck portions 110 e; and narrowportions 100 c allowing the neck portions 110 e to be introduced to thedeepest portions 100 b by elastic deformation.

Also, the head portions 110 a of the base-side engaging portions 110 ofthe engaging leg members 11 include a pair of linear marginal portions110 b, and the pitch between this pair of liner marginal portions 110 bis roughly equal to the width of the penetration grooves 102.

Herewith, in the example shown in the figures, the base-side engagingportions 110 of the engaging leg members 11 which were inserted into theintroduction-through holes 101 can be inserted into the penetrationgrooves 102 only by the direction wherein the linear marginal portions110 b of the head portions 110 a are slid and contacted to groove walls102 d of the penetration grooves 102. Next, the narrow portions 100 care elastically pushed and opened by the neck portions 110 e in theprocess wherein the base-side engaging portions 110 which were insertedinto the penetration grooves 102 as mentioned above are completely movedto the terminal end portions 102 b of the penetration grooves 102.Herewith, the elasticity is returned when the neck portions 110 e areallowed to proceed into the deepest portions 10 b . As a result, thebase-side engaging portions 110 of the engaging leg members 11 can bereliably assembled to the engaged portions 100 of the core material mainbody 10 in a mounting direction by a one touch.

In the example shown in the figures, the engaged portions 100 are madeopen at the side of the introduction-through holes 101 and includeroughly U-shaped flange portions 100 d which border insides of theterminal end portions 102 b in such a way as to form the grappling faces100 a with a step surface in the terminal end portions 102 b of thepenetration grooves 102 between groove borders 102 c located on the sideof the other face 10 b of the core material main body 10. The grapplingfaces 100 a of the flange portions 100 d and the face of the oppositeside are configured in such a way as to form the same face with one face10 a of the core material main body 10. In both opening portions of theroughly U-shaped flange portions 100 d, projections 100 e respectivelyprojecting to the inside are formed, and due to the projections 100 e,the opening portions are slightly narrower than diameters of the neckportions 110 e of the base-side engaging portions 110 of the engagingleg members 11. When the neck portions 110 e are introduced into thedeepest portions 100 b, lower surfaces (jaw faces) of the head portions110 a are widely contacted to the grappling faces 100 a of the flangeportions 100 d at the portion except for the opening portions.

The engaging leg members 11 integrally include the base-side engagingportions 110 comprising the head portions 110 a and the neck portions110 e on one side sandwiching the intermediate flanges 111, andintermediate flanges 111. Also, the engaging leg members 11 include thetip-end side engaging portions 112 on the other side sandwiching theintermediate flanges 111.

The neck portions 110 e configuring the base-side engaging portions 110are located between the intermediate flanges 111 and the head portions110 a, and have an axis shape whose external diameter is smaller thanboth the intermediate flanges 111 and the head portions 110 a. Also, thehead portions 110 a are configured as a plate with length and width. Thelinear marginal portions 110 b are formed by both marginal portionsalong the length direction of the head portions 110 a. Also, one endside of the head portions 110 a is projected to the outer side than theintermediate flanges 111. Protruding portions 110 d decline in such adirection that the protruding portions 110 d gradually approach the sideof the intermediate flanges 111 as the protruding portions 110 d go to aterminal portion, so that the neck portions 110 e cannot be insertedinto the penetration grooves 102 from a protruding portion 110 d side.Herewith, in the example shown in the figures, the neck portions 110 eof the base-side engaging portions 110 of the engaging leg members 11,which are inserted into the introduction-through holes 101 in such a wayas to protrude the tip-end side engaging portions 112 from one side face10 a of the core material main body 10, can be pushed into thepenetration grooves 102 from the opposite side of the protrudingportions 110 d in such a way as to press against the declined externalsurface of the protruding portions 110 d by a finger.

The tip-end side engaging portions 112 include core portions 112 aintegrally protruding from the intermediate flanges 111 at the otherside of the intermediate flanges 111 with both long surfaces in thelength direction of the head portions 110 a; and elastic piece portions112 b integrally connecting one end to the end of the core portions 112a at both ends of the core portions 112 a and integrally connecting theother end to the intermediate flanges 111. Transformation gaps 112 g areformed between the core portions 112 a and the elastic piece portions112 b. Also, the intermediate flanges 111 have a size so as not to beinserted into the mounting hole Pb of the panel Pa, and engagingprojections 112 c with engaging faces 112 d which face the side of theintermediate flanges 111 are formed on outer faces of the pair ofelastic piece portions 112 b. The size between top portions 112 e of theengaging projections 112 c of the pair of elastic piece portions 112 bis made slightly larger than the diameter of the mounting hole Pb of thepanel Pa. Inclining hem faces 112 f are formed between the top portions112 e of the engaging projections 112 c and one end of the elastic pieceportions 112 b, and make it easy to be inserted into the mounting holePb. Herewith, in the example shown in the figures, after the elasticpiece portions 112 b are once bent in the process wherein the tip-endside engaging portions 112 are inserted into the mounting hole Pb of thepanel Pa, a recoil force is produced at the position wherein the topportions 112 e of the engaging projections 112 c are slipped out to thefront from the inserting end of the mounting hole Pb. As a result, theweather strip W can be assembled to the panel Pa wherein the tip-endside engaging portions 112 are engaged with the mounting hole Pb by aone touch.

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-173883, filed onJul. 2, 2007, is incorporated in the application.

While the invention has been explained with reference to the specificembodiments of the invention, the explanation is illustrative and theinvention is limited only by the appended claims.

1. A weather strip, comprising; a flexible strip main body; and a coreembedded in the strip main body, and including a core main body havingan engaged portion and an engaging leg member to be inserted into andengaged with a mounting hole on a mounting object, said engaging legmember having a first engaging portion for engaging the mounting holeand a second engaging portion for engaging the engaged portion of thecore, wherein at least the first engaging portion is not covered by thestrip main body.
 2. A weather strip according to claim 1, wherein thecore further comprises a hole for introducing the second engagingportion, said hole including a main hole and an elongated hole extendingfrom the main hole, the engaged portion being formed at an end portionof the elongated hole relative to the main hole.
 3. A weather stripaccording to claim 2, wherein the second engaging portion includes ahead portion and a neck portion, wherein the engaged portion includes agrappling face of the head portion at a side of the core main bodyaround a deepest portion of the elongated hole away from the main holefor housing the neck portion, and a portion for defining a narrowportion of the elongated hole for allowing the neck portion to beintroduced to the deepest portion from the main hole, said portion beingelastically deformed when the neck portion passes therethrough.
 4. Aweather strip according to claim 3, wherein each head portion include apair of linear marginal portions, and a pitch between the pair of theliner marginal portions is roughly equal to a width of the elongatedhole.
 5. A weather strip according to claim 4, wherein said firstengaging portion includes a core portion extending from the neckportion, and a plurality of elastic pieces extending radially outwardlyfrom the core portion.
 6. A weather strip according to claim 5, whereinthe strip main body covers the core in a condition that the engaging legmember is attached to the engaged portion.
 7. A weather strip accordingto claim 1, wherein the strip main body is formed of rubber or plasticwith elasticity.
 8. A weather strip according to claim 1, wherein thecore is formed of a synthetic resin material.